Montserrat Population: 5,189
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| Background | |
| English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possession of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003. |
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| Geography | |
| The island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages | |
| Location: | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico |
| Geographic coordinates: | 16 45 N, 62 12 W |
| Area: | total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km Size comparison: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land Boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 40 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation |
| Terrain: | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006) |
| Natural resources: | NEGL |
| Land use: | arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | NA |
| Natural hazards: | volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November) volcanism: Soufriere Hills volcano (elev. 915 m), has erupted continuously since 1995; a massive eruption in 1997 destroyed most of the capital, Plymouth, and resulted in approximately half of the island becoming uninhabitable |
| Current Environment Issues: | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation |
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| People | |
| Population: | 5,189 (July 2013 est.) note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 26.2% (male 708/female 652) 15-24 years: 13.5% (male 357/female 341) 25-54 years: 47.9% (male 1,174/female 1,309) 55-64 years: 6.3% (male 156/female 171) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 199/female 122) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 30.2 years male: 29.7 years female: 30.7 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.484% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 11.62 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.55 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 14.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 73.41 years male: 75.15 years female: 71.58 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.28 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian |
| Ethnic groups: | black, white |
| Religions: | Protestant (Anglican, Methodist, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations), Roman Catholic |
| Languages: | English |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat |
| Government type: | NA |
| Capital: | name: Plymouth geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat |
| Administrative divisions: | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter |
| Independence: | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| National holiday: | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) |
| Constitution: | Montserrat Constitution Order 2010, effective 1 September 2011 |
| Legal system: | English common law |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Adrian DAVIS (since 8 April 2011) head of government: Premier Rueben T. MEADE (since 27 September 2011); note - the office of premier came into effect with the new Constitution Order; he replaces the Chief Minister cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the premier, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes premier |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats; 9 members popularly elected to serve five-year terms; the attorney general and financial secretary sit as ex-officio members) elections: last held on 8 September 2009 (next to be held by 2014) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCAP 6, independents 3 |
| Judicial branch: | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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| Economy | |
| Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airport and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998 but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. Half of the island remains uninhabitable. In January 2013, the EU announced the disbursement of a $55.2 million aid package to Montserrat in order to boost the country's economic recovery, with a specific focus on public finance management, public sector reform, and prudent economic management. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $43.78 million (2006 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $NA |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3.5% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $8,500 (2006 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1.6% industry: 23.2% services: 75.1% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 4,521 (2012) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | |
| Unemployment rate: | 6% (1998 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2012 est.) 3.7% (2011 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $37.04 million (2012 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products |
| Industries: | tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 22 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 212 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 20.46 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Exports: | $3.6 million (2012 est.) $1.26 million (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle |
| Imports: | $30 million (2012 est.) $26.32 million (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials |
| Debt - external: | $8.9 million (1997) |
| Exchange rates: | East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2012 est.) 2.7 (2011 est.) 2.7 (2010 est.) 2.7 (2009) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 2,600 (2010) country comparison to the world: 216 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 4,200 (2010) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: modern and fully digitalized domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons international: country code - 1-664; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .ms |
| Internet hosts: | 2,431 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 1,200 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 1 (2012) country comparison to the world: 225 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2012) |
| Roadways: | note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the 227 km road system; a new road infrastructure has been built on the north end of the island (2008) |
| Ports and terminals: | Little Bay, Plymouth |
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| Military | |
| Defense is the responsibility of the UK | |
| Military branches: | no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2011) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,353 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,135 females age 16-49: 1,223 (2010 est.) |
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